By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Both the people and government of Somaliland are committed to religious cohesion.
This was informed by the minister of information and Culture Abdilahi U’kuse during a press briefing in his Hargeisa offices where he also warned the clergy not to wash their dirty linen in public.
Minister U’kuse who also asked the media not to provide a platform to controversial sentiments from the clergy told the fourth estate to only disburse religious information in which the clergy are in partnership with the ministry of Religion and Endowment.
The information minister was in apparent reaction to a recent incident in which a difference of opinion on an important religious tenet by senior clergies sprawled out of control thence confusion within the public.
The argument emanated after the committee to promote good deeds and deterrence of vice disposed its chairman of 12 years Sheikh Mohamed Haji Mahmud Hiire whom they accused of promoting beliefs contrary to Islam.
Sh Hiire who had publicly argued against the prevalent discrimination against women stating that “Men and Women are equal in religion thence should be treated equally especially as pertains to blood money” still stands by his sentiments despite removal from the powerful nationwide religious watch committee.
Currently women not inherit less than men but also see them getting paid half (50 camels) the men’s blood money when the unfortunate incident of death occurs.
While urging restrain from both the clergy and media information minister Abdilahi U’kuse stressed on the fact that the state will not entertain any utterances that end up confusing the public.
Said he, “the clergy is there to promote religion and not confusion while the media should not publish controversial arguments by the clergy”
This was the second public appearance by the information minister who was given a state welcome following his arrival back from medical treatment abroad.
Thanking the thousands of citizens, government officials and politicians who received him at Egal international airport the minister said that he was fit as a fiddle and ready for duties.
The information minister was flown by the government first to Djibouti then the UAE for medical treatment following injuries sustained during a traffic accident recently.
